Hurry, Scurry, In a Flurry!

This week my plate was as full as Mama’s best china on Thanksgiving. The absence of your twin sister and partner in all crimes will do that to you! (-:

And naturally, anxiety has followed.

Driving has been especially hazardous for my blood pressure, because as I maneuver the car ‘round corners and up hills, my mind is racing ahead, stressing over things that I have no control over and can definitely do nothing about at that moment. One particular day this week, I was on my way to teach a few music lessons, and my mind was leap-frogging from what I had to do in the next hour to what I had to accomplish by next week at that hour to what I had to do in the next six months.

And what if this doesn’t go as planned, and what if I can’t handle that…

And suddenly, the Lord stopped me.

I turned off the radio, and I listened.

And the Lord showed me that all these duties, all these responsibilities, all these deadlines—they will get done. After all, Philippians 4:13 does say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

They will get done with me agonizing while both my hands are firmly planted on the steering wheel and my chauffeur fails to make his appearance.

They will get done with me falling into bed at night but not being able to sleep because my brain is planning every second of the next day.

But they don’t have to get done that way.

Lord, You’re right!

I instantly hearkened back to a talk I once heard a woman give, in which she provided the illustration of a lake during a storm. The winds are gusting so loudly you can hardly hear a thing. The trees are shivering their leaves right off into the water and creaking threateningly. The waves are so rough it would be madness for any boat to attempt to sail, and the rain is pelting down with stinging force. But plunge under the water, and all of that deafening noise instantly is swallowed up in mellow silence. The underwater world is milky and calm and peaceful.

And this is how it should be. My calendar pelts the storm, but my soul is at perfect calm.

At this point, I couldn’t bear to turn the radio back on, but I had to simply worship the Lord for this profound-to-me reminder, and I had to sing what has become my theme song of late:

O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s a light for a look at the Savior,

And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

Has not my Lord told me,"My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest (Ex. 33:14)"? Has not the Lord promised, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe (Prov. 18:10)”?

Even more sure than the fact that stress will always exist is the unparalleled truth that the Lord will always be at my side. And one day, He will even appear on a noble white horse, poised to defeat Satan and his minions of Anxiety and Doubt forever (Rev. 19:11-21)!

So I think I’m ready for a swim. I’m going to reject this storm and dive deep, deep under the water. I’m going to meditate on this elixir for the soul and revel in the tranquility that comes when God’s presence is ever present with me.

Picture Credit: Maciek Zygmont

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.